President's Media Unit Says President Only Wanted Clarification From SC: But Wording Of Question Suggests Otherwise

The Presidents Media Unit today issued a statement saying the President merely asked for a clarification from the Supreme Court on his term.

Issuing a statement, the media unit said there were two arguments in legal and civil circles on the term of President Maithripala Sirisena.

"In order to dispel this confusion, the President has sought the opinion of Supreme Court regarding the actual term of office," the statement said.

However, the wording of President's Sirisena's question to the Supreme Court suggested otherwise. The President asked, "Whether, in terms of provisions of the constitution, I, as the person elected and succeeding to the office of President and having assumed such office in terms of Article 32 (1) of the constitution on 09th January 2015, have any impediment to continue in the office of President for a period of 6 years from 09th January 2015, the date on which the results of my election was declared."

It suggested that the President's intention was to have a six year term, despite the enactment of the 19th Amendment and wanted a clarification from the Supreme Court whether there was an impediment to that.